el that there was one among us who was free from
ambition and worldly cares, content to live on in the enjoyment of
humble duties and simple pleasures,--one who would not have changed
colour at the news of a bequest of ten thousand pounds, but could be
very eager about his grand-nephew's prize at school, and about the
first forget-me-not of the season beside his pond, and the first
mushroom in his meadow. During the fortnight of his illness, the
village inquired about him; but when it was all over, there was not
much to forget of one so little known, and we hear of him no more.

"The Greys and Rowlands go on much as usual, the gentlemen of the
family agreeing very well, and the ladies rather the reverse. The
great grievance this spring has been, that Mrs Rowland has seen fit
to enlarge her hall, and make a porch to her door. Her neighbours are
certain that, in the course of her alterations, every principal beam
of her house has been cut through, and that the whole will fall in.
No such catastrophe has yet occurred, however. I have not been called
in to set any broken bones; and I have not much expectation of an
accident, as Mr Rowland understands building too well to allow his
house to be cut down over his head. As for the porch, I do not
perceive what can be alleged to its disadvantage, but that some people
think it ugly.

"Here I must cease my gossip. I regularly begin my letters with the
intention of telling you all that I hear and see out of my profession
but I invariably stop short, as I do now, from disgust at the nonsense
I should have to write. It is endurable enough to witness; for one
thing quickly dismisses another, and some relief occurs from the more
amiable or intellectual qualities of the parties concerned: but I hate
detail in writing; and I never do get through the whole list of
particulars that I believe you would like to have. You must excuse me
now, and take my word for it, in the large, that we are all pretty
much what we were when you saw us three years ago, except of course,
being three years older, and some few of us three years wiser. It
will be a satisfaction to you also to know that my practice has made a
very good growth for the time. You liked my last year's report of it.
It has increased more since that time than even during the preceding
year; and I have no further anxiety about my worldly prospects. I am
a